Top 5 NETFLIX ORIGINAL Shows We've Watched in 2017

Netflix has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1997. It went from simply selling and renting DVDs to becoming one of the biggest online streaming services in history!

Today, Netflix provides a plethora of original content that helps to retain its current subscriber base while attracting new users alike. Users like us, who have made it a hobby/obsession of binge watching some of the best shows we have seen all year. So at the risk of getting you hooked and causing you to waste countless hours of your life here are the Top 5 Netflix Original shows we've watched in 2017!

5. BETWEEN

The gripping semi post apocalyptic show Between definitely lives up to its name. Due in part to the fact that it put us between a love/hate feeling that lasts throughout the entire show.

The story is fairly generic and is set in a town called Pretty Lake where all residents who are 22 and over begin to croak over and die unexpectedly. And not just die, we're talking thick blood oozing out the mouth type of deaths here. This incident causes the government to quarantine the sweet town of Pretty Lake leaving the young residents who remain untouched by the disease to fend for themselves.

What We Like:

• Fairly original plot: The idea that all of the "old people" in a town or city could suddenly die in a matter of days and the fate of society as we know it can be left in the hands of the youth is both exhilarating and scary as hell! 

• Keeps you on the edge of your seat which makes it a great show for binge watching. 

• Season 1 and 2 both provided a sense of closure while leaving you wondering what could happen next. Our kind of cliff hanger. 

What We Dislike:

• Bad acting - A couple of the characters like Gord played by Ryan Allen come off as dry and simply down right boring. If it wasn't for the interesting plot this would totally ruin the show. 

4. PUNISHER

A destructive whirlwind of violence and hate that brings pleasure to the senses in disturbing ways is what Punisher brings to Netflix.

Punisher starts off where Daredevil (yet another amazing Netflix Original series) left off. Frank Castle (*cough *cough The Punisher) is presumed to be dead by the world and is trying to live a normal life. Well, as normal of a life as it gets for a man whose entire family was murdered due to bad choices he himself made and as a result is stuck in a cycle of pure unadulterated rage. Unfortunately, Frank's "peaceful" life is abruptly interrupted when a mysterious hacker by the name of Micro informs him that the people truly responsible for his family's death are alive and kicking. And of course, Frank goes into full murder mode and begins yet another delightful murder spree that we come to expect from a guy named the Punisher.

What We Like:

• Oh the slaughter! The violence in Punisher is presented as a well choreographed symphony that is displayed on your HDTV in some of the most creative ways known to man. No lie. 

• We love the Characters! From Frank Castle himself to the supporting cast, Punisher does a great job of causing you to care about every single main character. Each character has their own story and significant part to play in the series and you can't help but either fall in love or downright loath each one. 

• The connection: Each of us have a sense of justice within us. When we see wrong doing occur we want to see that evil punished. Even though the Punisher's methods are seen as wrong because he operates outside of the law we felt his pain in such as way that we applauded every action he took to get revenge on those who took everything from him. Can't say we wouldn't do the same. 

What we Dislike: 

• Nothing. We liked everything about Punisher and that's all there is to it. 

3. 13 REASONS WHY

This has to be one of the realist Netflix Original series we have watched this year! 13 Reasons Why hits you right in the gut by tackling real life issues such as rape, bullying, and giving you clear insight on why a teenager would take their own life.

13 Reasons follows the story of Hannah (played by Katherine Langford) who leaves a series of cassette tapes in the wake of her recent suicide that tell the story of what led her to commit such a tragic act. Each tape highlights someone in her life that has something to do with her decision to commit suicide - some more heinous than others. Shy guy and semi love interest Clay Jensen is the main character who aims to expose everyone involved in the bullying and betrayal that lead Hannah to fall deeper and deeper into despair causing her untimely death.

What We Like:

• It's Extremely Graphic! Hannah goes through what a lot of teenagers do in this day and age and 13 Reasons does not sugar coat or hold back in putting this on display for your viewing displeasure. From bullying to full on rape scenes, nothing is left to the imagination. 

• Emotional attachment: We found ourselves falling in love with both Clay and Hannah over time. In some aspects we felt what Hannah was going through because we ourselves went through some of it as teenagers and know what it is like to feel like no one loves or understands you. We had such an emotional attachment that the rape scenes in this show hit so close to home that they were overwhelmingly infuriating! I found myself feeling so hurt for Hannah that I desperately wanted justice to be done by punching the guys who took advantage of her in the face repeatedly until they were no longer recognizable. Few shows can touch us like that. 

What We Dislike: 

• Clay...at first. This man Clay took forever to get through all of the 13 tapes! I mean we know he had to or there wouldn't have been much of a show for us to enjoy, but damn, this man was so affected that he was crashing into cars while riding his bike and spacing out while talking to someone mid sentence. He annoyed the hell out of us at first but we grew to love the clumsy shy little guy. 

• Most of the teens going through all this turmoil appeared to come from good homes with extremely loving and attentive parents. It had us asking, "why are you so damn dysfunctional?!" It's like some of them, key words "some of them" were asking for trouble and ultimately got what they deserved. 

2. THE OA

The beautifully crafted, story driven The OA (Original Angel) makes number 2 on our list. To be honest, it very well could be number 1 - yes, it's that good!

The OA focuses on the life of a young blind woman named Prairie Johnson (played by Brit Marling) who appears after 7 years of captivity by a mad doctor. You see, Prairie is the survivor of a Near Death Experience, but that's not the only reason she is special. What makes her extraordinary is that she took something back with her from the other side that caused her to regain her sight along with insight into the afterlife that goes beyond basic human comprehension.

Pause:  Prairie comes back reborn a new and now refers to herself as The OA so we shall honor her pilgrimage by referring to her in this way from this point on. Okay, continue....

Upon her return, The OA draws a lot of attention both positive and negative and eventually forms a rag tag group of people who are all both searching for more out of life and an escape from the turmoils that come with it. Together, they embark on a journey of freedom, hope in something bigger than themselves, and a revolutionary look into the spiritual world.

What We Like:

• Brit Marling's soothing voice as she tells the story of her life before and during captivity. We found ourselves completely hooked on every single word that came out of her mouth as she described in vivid detail her life experiences. It's as if we didn't even need the imagery.  We could close our eyes and let her words take us on this amazing journey and all the details would just come alive in our minds. 

• Replayability:  Few shows that we have watched this year have compelled us to go back for a second ride, but here we are currently watching The OA season 1 yet again. There are so many intricate details that you will miss the first time around that it is an absolute must you watch it twice if you ever hope to get a full understanding of what is going on. 

• Spiritual Interpretative Dance: One of the gifts that The OA comes back with is a powerful set of moves that are both the most elegant and freakiest thing we have ever seen a human body do (well almost...hehe). The meaning of each dance move is also compelling, but to know that you need to watch the show - no spoilers here. 

• The Plot: The story is not a generic cut and dry, copy and paste production in the slightest. There is a story within the story that if you are not careful you will miss and in doing so you miss the entire point of the show. 

• The ending in itself (no spoiler, we promise) will leave you either believing or disbelieving everything you have been shown or lead to believe. It's almost  parallel to how we view the afterlife and/or religion ourselves. We are presented with a set of beliefs and life experiences and it is up to us to take the knowledge we've gained combined with experiences to determine whether we believe or not. The comparisons and contrasts to real life is brilliantly represented here in The OA. 

What We Dislike:

• Season 2 starts filming in 2018 😩. This show released in 2016 and you mean to tell me that it has taken this long to start filming season 2?! For shame, For Shame! But on the serious side, we are ecstatic that The OA will be coming back for round 2 sometime in 2018...crossing all fingers and toes!  

1. STRANGER THINGS 2

Now for the show that opened the door for other Netflix Originals shows for this young journalist. It's time to talk about the show that has single handily brought back the innocence and intrigue of the 80's. It's time for us, ladies and gentlemen to talk about the show that pays homage like no other to nostalgic movies like The Goonies, Ghostbusters, Weird Science, and so many other greats!

Yes, it's time to revel in the greatness that is Stranger Things Season 2!

Season 2 picks up where the first left off. Will is trying to get acclimated back into every day life when he begins to have what appears to be visions of the Upside Down. It turns out that these are not just visions but Will is in fact in full contact with the Upside Down. On top of that, there is a new threat far more evil than the demogorgon that seeks to invade our world and kill every living creature in it. Of course, our band of young heroes are not having that. In traditional Scooby Doo crew style they begin to investigate and spring into action to defend their families and the world.

What We Like:

• The Charm: Season 2 picks up with the same level of charm that the first Season possessed. Our young heroes are as colorful as ever in their own way. Each character also has grown and are in different places in their life based on last season's events which kept us engaged. Our favorite is still Dustin (played by Gaten Matarazzo) who now has a set of pearly whites that he is so proud of he growls like a wild cat the entire season - it's hilarious! 

• Takes it to the Next Level: Season 2 keeps the core of what made Season 1 special in tact while successfully adding to it in a way that gives it its own identity. You see so much open up with the character development and the world itself. We begin to get details into the dark secrets that the town of Hawkins has been keeping under wraps. We also go deeper into the Upside Down and learn a great deal about the menacing creatures that inhabit it. The Duffer Brothers (creators) stated that this season's production was going to be much more expansive and boy they did not disappoint! 

• The Kids! Those beautiful, innocent, and often times rambunctious young heroes that continually fight off evil on our behalf are back in action! Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Will, and spoiler alert....Eleven all return to delight, frustrate, and disobey their parents once again! 

• Steve!  This guy played a bigger role in Season 2 than we expected and thank God for him. Steve's interaction with the kids is like a cooler big brother and it works extremely well...especially during his interactions with Dustin. For a few episodes in this season this dynamic duo completely stole the spotlight. 

What We Dislike:

• Nothing at all. We loved this show through and through and that's all we have to say about that! 

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, our favorite Netflix Original shows that we've watched in 2017! We've spent countless hours binge watching until our hearts content and loved every single minute of it.

We hope you enjoyed reading our thoughts on each show and Please be sure to Follow to keep up with us here at WhatchaGot2Say.

Keep Your Eyes on Your Enemies - Hip Hop Flashback!

Keep yo' eyes on yo' enemies, and watch your friends

See money get you power, but it also get you dead

Keep yo' eyes on yo' enemies, and watch your friends

See money get you sex, but it also get you dead

Keep yo' eyes on yo' enemies, and watch your friends

See money get you respect, but it also get you dead

Keep yo' eyes on yo' enemies, and watch your friends

See money bring power, but that's why it gets you dead

Somebody ask me how it feel to have change
How I feel to be a major muthafucka in this game

I'll told them, let the sunshine turn to rain
In other words, that's cool but a lot of shit I can't explain

Like Bitches say they love me, but I can't really believe 'em
Who wouldn't wanna love me, I got money and I'm succedin'

Them bitches got niggas, niggas got bitches, they be plottin'
You show 'em your crib
Next week they kickin' in yo' spot

And it's a shame when niggas bust your brains with the stripes
It seems like I'm the only nigga trippin' on my life

At night I say my prays with my vest on
My triggas under my pillows
I'm even scared to get my rest on

Runnin' with them killas that'll ride for me, die for me
Open fire for me, wouldn't lie to me
I watch my back, I watch my front
I watch them niggas, I watch them bitches
In fact I think they all tryna kill Mac!

Written by: Mac and Master P
Song: Money Gets It
Album: Shell Shocked by Mac

I am CRACK

I came to this country with my mama

Everybody called her the white girl

But you all knew I had a lil' somethin' somethin' on me

Cause my outer was slightly tanned

Southern folk called me a yellowgal

I've been out here in this world for a while now

Bringing madness and mayhem to man, woman, and child

You see my mother, the white girl had several lovers

So my father's true identity has yet to be discovered

Some call it A-1 soda others V-12

Doctor Tishner has been implicated

But all of their seeds are incriminating evidence

As far as my perception goes

My mother, she was indeed good, but I was most powerful

Just ask anybody in your hood

You can even ask those in corporate America about this mobstress

Most times, I as little as a pea, though my weight fluctuates

Size ain't shit, cause I have enough game to make you steal from ya mama

And call her out by her name

I can make her neglect her children, sell her body, perform dirty tricks

On her knees and be called the neighborhood hottie

Everybody's a thief and a liar once they make my acquaintance

They be anxious to buy my love, they lust for me

Want to hold me and test my purity, but it's only for a moment

You see the ecstasy that I give to you

It's only temporary but quite costly

I'm bossy from your very first encounter with me

I tell you, you need me, gots to have me, can't live without me

Even though I can be smaller than a pea, my game extends, it gets deeper

You see my skills don't pimp just the weak minded

The so-called big ballin' brothers are obsessed with me

They kill, rob, and plot on one another to possess me

They see me as a goddess

The financial path that will lead them out the ghetto

But don't they know, have a clue

That I and my mother were sent here to destroy them

To entice, baffle, and trap them

Conscious people call the conspiracy genocide

Well, what do you think

I mean you make money off me, while they pile up evidence on you

Then get you to spend all the money you're stackin'

On lawyers and bail bondsmen

They seize your property and worldly items

That have you caught up in this lifestyle

Material things that turn friends to foes

Woman to hoe, man to monster

Yeah nigga you've changed but so what

Cause I give you what you need I give you power

Make you feel invincible right by me

I make you feel like a big man

No matter how fat, ugly, illiterate you are

I make the prettiest women love you

Fight over you and compete with others trying to give you babies

I make your relative, want to kiss your ass

Treat you like a king and roll out the red carpet

They've got one hand out for money

And the other hand has a pen in it so you can sign your life policy

My assistance makes you have that edge over the next man

Cause it's all about me and the lover of money, the root of all evil

The necessities of function in this society

I make all your gangsta dumbass stories interesting

Cause you are the man

I mean we listen in awe as you speak of your murder tales

Ménage a trios, homosexual advances, and secret romances

I'm bout it and I make you feel bout it bout it

I split family, split friends, split lovers and even business partners

So niggas nickname me crack, ain't that something

I'm the reason why a lot of people are homeless, crazy, crippled

Why they're HIV positive and dead

But you still want me, feel the need for me to be in your possession

Fear to get high off my intoxicating little pieces

Or to spread my love to profit

You're even willing to kill and die for me

And even though my mother, the white girl

Engaged in several orgies for my creation

I still know my father, you know him too

You follow his lead, and work with him

Claim you hate him but your actions are different from your tongue

Let's face it, you serve him faster than you do your God

We own you nigga

And as far as the ones that send I and my mother here to destroy you

We own them too

So after all my destruction, I must pat myself on the back, uh uh

I am crack, the devil's daughter

Human life, mind destroyer

You need me, yeah ya do, for sho' ya do, you really do

So go head on nigga, take a hit

I'ma keep putting you out on the streets

Freeze you now, help me to kill you

Hoodlum poetry, food for ya mind

Wake up deaf, dumb and blind, it's time

Written by: Craig Bazile / Vyshonn King Miller / Mia Young

The TRUTH About the Corporate World

They will feed us bullshit on a platter and expect us to eat it as if it is a gourmet meal. 

They see us as cattle who are expected to swallow iniquity without uttering a single word. 

They strip power from the powerful and give it to those who are willing to bow the knee and sell what is left of their integrity like a cheap whore that is puckered up and primed to suck the human excrement from anyone willing to give them attention. 

Look around you. What do you see?  A cancer spreading through every man and woman causing them to compromise their humanity for the sake of being liked and accepted. 

Look around you. What do you see? A sea of treacherous back stabbing bitches that sit and wait to cut your throat as soon as the opportunity presents itself. And sometimes before. 

Oh you thought you had friends? You thought you could trust anybody? You actually thought you could make it on your skills and talent alone? Don't be so naive. 

Welcome to the Corporate World. Welcome to the 9 to 5 where you work to stay alive but you die a little inside every day. 

THE CYCLE

There will come a time where some of you who have not truly known me will no longer know me.

The time is coming where the season will shift. So is the pattern of my life.

It is not something that I purposely cause to happen. It is the will of life.

My life is a never ending revolving door. People come and they go. They touch my life and I touch theirs but in the end it is only for a moment.

The time is coming where the season will shift. The time when all things become new and only memories remain.

When I feel the shift my only hope is that I have impacted those around me in a positive way.  That I have not caused too much damage. That I and all who have experienced me in this season have learned something and have grown to some extent.

It is not my will that this happens but it is the pattern of my life.

Some will be disappointed. These are the ones that have not truly known me.  How could they? They never truly took the time to look into my soul.

Then there are those who will accept it and attempt to stick around but when the season shifts it is up to me who departs and who remains.

Some will be hurt. Some will be angry. Some will attempt to shame my name. Even I myself, will shame my name out of regret and guilt. But I am familiar with it. All I can do is absorb it and let it go.

So as it was before. So it will be again. And so it will continue as long as I live.

The time is here. Where the season shifts. So is the pattern of my life. THE CYCLE

*CreamDaddy* 

The VOICE of PAIN - 2008

Sometimes the voice of pain is so much louder than God’s voice. It is like no other distraction I have encountered. It has been so loud that my thoughts have been consumed and lost in the waves that crash hard against my mind. 

The voice of pain, if it would only quiet down for a little while and let my heart rest from the aching that it causes with every shrill echo. I cry out to God longing to hear His voice only, and while it seems as though God cannot hear me, the longer I cry out to Him the louder His voice becomes. The thought does occur that this maddening voice of pain will conquer and be the end of me but that torturing fear is soon shattered when suddenly I am still hearing my heavenly father’s voice speaking ever so gently to me. 

His gentle voice penetrates the loudness of that deafening voice of pain. I keep crying out to God with every fiber of my being until the voice of pain is hushed and without power. God has heard my cry and has rescued me. He gently takes my hand and pulls me from the waves that were swallowing me causing me to suffocate. He wraps himself around me and His very touch caused peace to consume me the way the voice of pain once had. After the peace, joy has its rightful place allowing my spirit to finally rest from the tiring battle. For the time being the voice of pain is no more. 

*Vanilla Child

So You Wanna Be a Hero at Ihop

When people don't see you as worthy of respect they will think they can talk to you any kind of way. Well I don't know about you but we will never tolerate anyone's dehumanizing attitude and will stand up for ourselves at any cost. With that being said I would like to tell you a tale of a rather "fun" encounter me and my man had at IHOP.

So tonight we were at an IHOP having a good time watching Heather Land on YouTube when these racist crotchety old white ladies decided they had had enough of our fun times. Now keep in mind we are a mixed couple. I will say we were laughing loudly but honestly how has laughter ever hurt anyone? On  top of that the whole restaurant was quite noisy. Now as usual we were totally lost in our own little world when suddenly one of these racist women stood up with her face all twisted like she had the devil in her and began yelling at us. Dazed and confused we both looked up trying to understand what was coming out of this crazy woman's mouth. I felt as though we were part of a terrible movie like we had taken a giant leap back in time. What she said made absolutely no sense whatsoever. she insisted we were disturbing their meal and they could not enjoy themselves while we were laughing and listening to Heather Land who in her words sounded like a little kid.

It was if she were saying that the sound of a child was the most repulsive thing she could ever hear. Now had she turned round and asked politely for us to quiet down we would have gladly done so. But that was not  the case. So my sexy African warrior said, "since you put it that way we are not turning it off." That enraged the demon inside of her and her head almost popped right off her old frail body. She began waving her fist in the air and shouted that they would just move across the restaurant. My delicious large coffee with 6 creams agreed with her and said that was a wonderful idea.

It was at that point a rather large white male decided he would step in and defend the "honor" of the old crotchety crones. He took it upon himself to be their superhero and seemed to expect us to immediately back down. Boy, that was not the case at all. This nosy bigot began to tell us that we were being disrespectful and that everyone in the restaurant thought we were being too loud and that we needed to tone it down. My African King proceeded to tell this over-sized shell of a man to turn around and mind his business and stay out of ours. Keep this in mind, at this point the YouTube video had already ended and he still felt the need to threaten to call the manager on us as if we gave two shits at that point.

I then proceeded to tell this imposing sack of shit that the video was already off and for him to shut up and turn around. That's when my man jumped on his ass as well and told him to stop trying to be a hero in a situation that doesn't need one. He felt that he was going to get the best of us. As if he had something to prove. He gave us a look as if he was trying to intimidate us but this self proclaimed hero had it all wrong. My beautiful man quickly let him know that he was not going to get the best of us and kept yelling at him to turn around because nothing he could say or do was going to change the outcome of this situation. In the meantime the crotchety old women sat down and began talking among themselves celebrating as if they had won some type of battle. The large buffoon was still trying to make a point so my man interrupted his pointless babble and told him again to shut up, stop talking to us, turn around, and that he was not going to get the last word. This was the last thing he said. He gave up the captain save a hoe attitude and proceeded to get back to his mediocre existence. 

Here's the kicker. We were the only mixed couple in the restaurant. Everyone was being loud to an extent but for some reason we were targeted by multiple assailants. Coincidence? I think not. This ladies and gentlemen is an example of Trump's new America. A place where a mixed couple has no right to enjoy themselves in public without mini white supremacist trying to shut them down and put them in their place. I can tell you that we will enjoy watching Heather Land whenever and wherever we want to and there is nothing anyone can do about it. We will not shut up, we will not back down to anyone. 

I am certain that these women most likely proclaim that they are God fearing women who love Jesus.Surely the bible says something like, "thou shalt not be cranky racist little bitches" and if it doesn't is sure as hell should. I think it all boils down to the fact these ladies seemed to think that blacks and whites had no rights being together much less being free and happy in public. I mean after all it was their civic duty to stop such atrocities.

*Vanilla Child*